TheMarian University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU-COM) has received a $25,000 grant from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation to fund its Meaningful Medicine Mentoring Program: A Humanistic Approach to Patient Care initiative. The program is designed to develop Central Indiana physicians into mentors for students at the first-year medical school, located on the west side of Indianapolis.

Under the Meaningful Medicine Mentoring Program, first and second-year MU-COM students will be assigned to a local physician, who will serve as the student’s mentor in the area of humanistic patient care. Student participation in the program is entirely voluntary, yet highly encouraged. Physicians who volunteer to be mentors will be expected to devote one-half day per month to their mentees, over the course of two years. Melita Schuster, D.O. and Sherry Jimenez, Ed.D. are MU-COM’s principal investigators in this project. This year, the Indiana Osteopathic Association is providing support for the mentoring of MU-COM’s inaugural class.

“The goal of the Meaningful Medicine Mentoring Program is to reinforce the principles of humanistic medicine during patient care for the physician mentors and to introduce and promote this behavior for first-year and second-year osteopathic medical students,” Paul Evans, D.O., vice president and dean of MU-COM, said. “By integrating the principles of health, healing, and humanism in a nurturing and supportive environment, we hope to create a positive impact on improving the therapeutic relationships between doctors and their patients.”

Training will occur at the Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Indianapolis hospitals and clinics, and health care sites around Indiana. The teaching techniques employed will consist of interactive workshops combining lecture, discussion, and small group case-based learning. An annual summit will be held for mentors and mentees to discuss humanistic topics germane to patient care and experiences relevant to topics presented.

Marian University is one of eight national recipients of the grant. Other recipients are: George Washington University School of Medicine; University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing & Health Studies; North Shore LIJ Health System; New York Medical College; New York University School of Medicine; Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University/Hasbro Children’s Hospital; and Penn State University School of Medicine.

About The Arnold P. Gold Foundation

The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, established in 1988, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving patient experience and outcomes by working with physicians and other healthcare professionals in training and in practice to infuse a culture of respect, dignity and compassion for patients and providers. Learn more.